GREENVILLE – The Darke County Chamber of Commerce recently held its annual Agri-Business Luncheon & Expo
Katie DeLand, Chair, Board of Directors, welcomed everyone before Ron Barga II gave the invocation. Event Sponsor, Brian Hathaway with Spirit Medical Transport, shared new things to come and statistics regarding their expansive coverage.
The program consisted of Sam Suter, Ag Committee Chair, and a Legislative update by Senator Susan Manchester. The Keynote Speaker was scheduled to be Dr. Dee Jepson with OSU Extension; however, she was unable to attend. Our local OSU Extension Darke County Extension Educator Agriculture and Natural Resources, Caden Buschur, stepped up and presented valuable information, including statistics on farming accidents and ways to prevent them.
The awards presented during the event were the Agriculture Advocacy that was awarded to Carmen Hartzell, Agriculture Achievement was awarded to Jim Buchy, Young Farmer was awarded to Ryan Schmitmeyer and the Agri-Future Scholarship was awarded to Maggie McGlinch.
Each winner had a video shared where they answered questions and then accepted their award.
Greenville High School Student James Ord, under the direction of Ms. Lori Hoover, created the video presentation.
Several Darke County FFA members were in attendance and sat throughout the attendees, making it fun to interact and visit with them.
The Agriculture Committee promotes and supports agriculture through public events, education, and outreach. Efforts include the Stay Safe – Take a Break campaign, promoting farm safety, and the Legislative Farm Tour, which connects policymakers with local farmers.
The committee also fosters partnerships between agriculture and local businesses, highlighting the industry’s vital role in Darke County.
If you would like to join the Ag Committee, please email [email protected]
